High-flying female pilots take to the skies to mark Emirati Women's Day

Emirates Airline has released a video celebrating the successes of five of its female first officers

Emirates’ first officers Hanan Mohamed, Bakhita AlMheiri, Ayesha Yousuf, Nouf Omar and Maryam bin Ismail. Courtesy Emirates Airline

A flying squad of female pilots have been celebrated for their soaring success ahead of Emirati Women's Day.

Emirates Airline released a video marking the achievements of five of its first officers who flew to five continents on the same day to show the sky is the limit for the ambitions of women across the country.

The UAE carrier said it employs more than 1,100 women in its ranks, from flight operations and engineering positions to financial and customer service roles.

In the video, released on social media by the airline, Hanan Mohamed, Bakhita AlMheiri, Ayesha Yousuf, Nouf Omar and Maryam bin Ismail share the inspiring journeys that have helped them land dream jobs.

Emirati Women's Day, which is marked on Wednesday, was launched by Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation and president of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, in 2015 to honour the crucial role played by women in the country.

“Emirati women are icons of tolerance, exemplifying the core values held by our community via their care, determination, ability to nurture future generations, and pursue success in their various fields of work,” said Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Emirates Airline and Group.

“Their hard work and talent have helped build our company and nation, and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all Emirati women for setting new benchmarks and continuing to make us proud,” said Sheikh Ahmed.